Congratulations to you on your new puppy! Puppies are a lot of work and you probably have a lot of questions. One of the first questions that new puppy owners usually have is when do puppy teeth fall out.

Maybe you didn’t even realize that your puppy will lose its baby teeth the same way a human child does. Sometimes owners don’t notice the change in their dog’s teeth. This is nothing to be concerned about. You do want to make sure that this natural process happens normally, however.

This tutorial will help you see the signs in your puppy so you know what to expect.

Know Your Puppy​

You should know how old your puppy is when you bring it home. Therefore, you can estimate on a timeline when its teeth will fall out. Your vet can also help if the breeder or rescue you got your puppy from wasn’t clear with you about the dog’s age.

Once you have this information, you can estimate when your puppy will lose its baby teeth.

Most breeders will know the exact age of their puppies. Conversely, however, some breeders are just unscrupulous and will be dishonest about the age of the puppies they have for sale. Additionally, rescues and shelters are often guessing about the age of dogs they have up for adoption.

Your vet can help you pinpoint your dog’s exact age if you are unsure or just want a second opinion to verify the information you received from the breeder or shelter where your dog came from.

What Are Puppy Teeth?​

Puppy teeth, also known as milk teeth or deciduous teeth, are the first teeth a dog develops when they are young. Puppies start life with only the teeth they need. They are on a milk diet for the start of their lives, of course, and therefore only need a sparse set of teeth.

Every dog has two sets of teeth in its lifetime. Puppies have 28 deciduous teeth that fall out and are replaced by 42 adult dog teeth. Puppy teeth develop at around two to three weeks of age. By the time your puppy is eight weeks old, it should have all of its puppy teeth.​

That being said, puppy teeth are extremely sharp and therefore puppy owners know that bites from young dogs are very painful! Don't worry, this will soon be over. You can set your dog up for good behavior later by discouraging chewing on people and precious objects such as your shoes. Your puppy does need to chew, however, and I will show you some safe chew toys for puppies a little later in this post.

Informed dog owners will understand that, as a result of the emergence of painful, sharp puppy teeth, mother dogs wean puppies around five to six weeks old. This is not a coincidence. It is nature's magic at work.

Why Don’t I See My Puppy’s Adult Teeth Coming In?​

Occasionally, your puppy’s adult teeth will emerge behind their deciduous teeth. Therefore, if you look very closely, you may see a second row of teeth coming in.

This condition may rectify itself or you may have to consult with your vet about an extraction. You should be seeing your vet regularly with your new puppy, so it is easy to ask about the status of your puppy’s teeth. Your vet will know if things are normal or if intervention is needed because of some delay.

Do Puppies Experience Teething?​

​Puppies absolutely experience teething like a human baby does. Because of this, your puppy wants to chew on everything around it. Hard rubber toys like a Kong can help your puppy during this time. Puppies wear down their gums by chewing on hard objects and this helps their adult teeth break through.When Do Puppy Teeth Fall Out?

Your puppy should be losing its puppy teeth between eight to twelve weeks old. Your dog's adult teeth will arrive in a certain order. First, your dog's permanent incisors will emerge. Secondly, their canine teeth and premolars will show up. Finally, the molars come in.​

Puppies don't have molars because they aren't eating solid ﻿﻿food﻿﻿ yet. Therefore, it may take some extra time for your puppy's molars to fully arrive. By 8 months old, your dog should have all of its teeth, however.

The Best Toys For Your Teething Puppy​

Hard rubber toys like Kongs are great for teething dogs, as I already mentioned. Therefore, choosing a Kong brand toy or one that is similar in design, is beneficial to your puppy.

Alternatively, you can provide your puppy with a hard nylon toy such as a bone. Be careful to pick a toy that is the appropriate size for your dog. This should be less of an issue with puppies.

If the toy is too small for the dog, the dog could swallow it. This is not only dangerous, but also expensive for pet owners as well. Vet bills for removing bowel obstructions are costly.

Puppies also benefit from rope toys provided that certain conditions are met. The rope toy must be tightly woven and thick. Also, you should always check your puppy’s rope toys every day to make sure no threads are fraying. Your dog shouldn’t be eating the rope or more bowel problems can appear.

You may be tempted to give your dog real bones to chew on. I don’t recommend this! Bone fragments easily and your dog could swallow sharp pieces that wreak havoc on its digestive system. This also goes for rawhide toys. It is difficult to keep dogs from eating rawhide and bowel obstructions can result.

Finally, toys that squeak are dangerous. For instance, if your dog destroys the toy, it is easy to swallow the squeaker. That’s another trip to the vet that nobody wants to experience.

Dental Care For Dogs​

​Once your dog’s adult teeth show up, you want to care for them properly. Good dog dental care requires tartar control and defense against gingivitis.

You can brush your dog’s teeth fairly easily if you get them used to this while they are young. There are dog-friendly toothpastes that have flavors humans might find disgusting. Your dog will love them, however.

Begin slowly and only brush your dog’s teeth as long as your dog seems comfortable with at first. If you don’t finish brushing all of your dog’s teeth, that’s ok. You are working up to longer brushing sessions.

It is very important to never use human toothpaste on your dog. Your vet can recommend the right canine toothpaste. This video will help you learn exactly how to brush your dog’s teeth safely and effectively.

Additionally, you can give your dog chew toys and dental treats that help scrape the tartar off manually.​

Don’t Ignore Your Dog’s Dental Care

I know that some owners believe their dog’s teeth will take care of themselves. It is true that the concept of focusing on your dog’s dental health is somewhat new. However, it is very important and ignoring it can create undesirable results.

If your dog has trouble chewing or you notice red, inflamed gums, it is time for a trip to the vet. You want to prevent gingivitis before it becomes a debilitating issue. Bad breath or bumps inside your dog's mouth are also evidence of dental problems.

You should take your dog to the vet for a prof essional cleanin g the same way you visit the dentist regularly. Your vet should clean your dog’s teeth every six to twelve months. You can speak with your vet to set up a schedule that complies with this requirement and also works for your schedule.​

Great Dog Owners Take Great Care of Their Dog’s Teeth

In summation, you should notice that your dog’s puppy teeth fall out and are replaced by adult teeth by the time they are 8 months old.

It is important to involve your vet in your dog’s dental care both before and after their adult teeth arrive.If you provide proper chew toys for your puppy, it will help them grow their adult teeth. Choose only safe toys that meet the recommendations I have listed for you in this article unless your vet has a different recommendation.

Your dog can eat special treats to help keep their teeth clean. These treats protect against gingivitis, tartar and plaque buildup, and other dental problems as well.

​If you follow these simple steps, your dog will grow healthy, normal adult teeth that will last them a lifetime.

Please share this article with your friends who have new puppies! You can follow the links in this article to learn even more about puppy teeth and delve deeper into your question about when puppy teeth fall out.

As always, it is my pleasure to bring you this information and I hope you find it helpful! I’ll see you back again soon with more information about your dog’s proper care and health.

Lauren

Lauren is a young woman with a true passion for animals. She has kept many pets over the years and has intimate knowledge of their needs both emotionally and physically. She loves that her dogs keep her so active and satisfy her desire to spend lots of time in nature.

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Lauren is a young woman with a true passion for animals. She has kept many pets over the years and has intimate knowledge of their needs both emotionally and physically. She loves that her dogs keep her so active and satisfy her desire to spend lots of time in nature.Read more...

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